Hotels on Belgium's coast recorded 10% fewer overnight stays this Easter weekend than during the same period last year, figures released Monday by provincial body Westtoer show. With 300,000 day-trippers, the area welcomed about the same number of day visitors as in 2022.
The spring weather over the Easter weekend led to an increase in last-minute bookings with a total of 450,000 overnight stays at the coast. On Saturday night, the hotel occupancy rate reached 85%. However, the number of bookings over the whole weekend was 10% lower than during the Easter weekend last year.
“The Easter weekend 2022 was really exceptional, with lots of sunshine and temperatures exceeding 17°,” says Sabien Lahaye-Battheu, president of Westtoer.
Related News
Due to the new holiday regime in French-speaking Belgium, the spring holidays there are later this time than the Flemish Easter holidays and will take place from 29 April to 14 May.
“The fact that the holidays are staggered certainly plays a role in these slightly lower occupancy figures. The new holiday schedule allows the holidays to be spread out more evenly along the coast, which is a good thing because it means that more quality can be offered. But it is also a challenge. Beach activities have to be spread out more and the hotel and restaurant sector also has to recruit staff in May."
